October 17, 2018
Gabby Law and Julia Portis are both seniors at Mounds Park Academy who worked as teaching fellows with Breakthrough Twin Cities this past summer. At MPA, Gabby captains the tennis, Nordic skiing, and track teams, and has earned several awards in speech and debate. She is a student ambassador, peer leader, and co-leads Social Consciousness Club. When not being a concertmaster to the school’s orchestras, All-State Choir member, and licensed beekeeper, Gabby is busy applying to colleges. Julia is is heavily involved in speech, music, theater, student council (co-president), peer leaders, ambassadors, and debate—interacting with different people and mentors. She also enjoys attending events that allow her to advocate for her beliefs. She also loves traveling and spending time with friends and family.
We asked Gabby and Julia several questions so that you could get to know them better prior to MPA Talks!
Who inspires you to be better and how?
GL: My students inspired me to take full advantage of my educational opportunities. Their lack of access to small class sizes and hands-on learning during the school year reminds me of just how lucky I am to go to a private school. Because of them, I give 100% at school.
JP: During Obama and Bush, the two presidential administrations I had lived through, I was too busy learning how to ride a bike and navigating middle school to focus on politics. The 2016 election was different. After learning about forty-four male presidents, the thought of a female president seemed unattainable—and yet a woman was about to shatter the glass ceiling. Hillary Clinton inspired me to push past the hate others bear and taught me that in order to make change, you must fight for what you believe in.
What do you believe will be the greatest challenge our current students will face in their lifetimes and how do you see MPA equipping them to face that challenge?
GL: Nothing seems to be harder for my generation to handle than failure. In a world where coddling is common, MPA pushes students to be uncomfortable and test their educational limits. I believe being able to fail in a safe environment like MPA will make it much easier for us to thrive in the real world.
JP: Over the course of my experience at Breakthrough, it became apparent to me that students struggle to overcome, and are dramatically affected by, labeling. People have preconceived notions, and a lot of students are unfairly judged based on assumptions. During the first week of Breakthrough, the barrage of negative comments students said about themselves shocked me. Although MPA tries to instill confidence in its students, inevitably they will face labels and stigmas and will need to know how to navigate past them. MPA shows students they should not be judged by one mistake, instead choosing to view its students’ ever-developing minds.
What is the most heartwarming thing you have ever seen?
GL: During spirit week at Breakthrough, there was a “Cultural Day” where students could wear something that represented their heritage. When the students came off the bus in the morning, many were wearing their normal clothes and had their cultural clothes hiding in their backpack. When the students saw that all of their teachers were wearing their own cultural clothes, they rushed to the bathrooms and changed. People spent the rest of the day showing off their clothing, singing songs in their family’s languages, and teaching each other dances. It was truly beautiful.
JP: As a part of Breakthrough, the students and teaching fellows collaborated on an end-of-program show known as Celebration. After the performance, without prompting, students and teachers stood on the Nicholson Center stage for half an hour hugging and saying goodbye. In that moment I saw the impact teachers had on the students, and realized how they had impacted me. Summer was over, but it was undeniably clear that Breakthrough’s momentum would carry on.
We ask our students to dream big and do right. Do you feel that call to action is important to the future of our society and if so, why?
GL: I think the call to “Do Right” is an important mantra for my generation. We live in a complicated world, but no matter who you are, you can try to live your life by doing what is right in the world.
JP: As a PreK-12 school, MPA allows students to model their dreams into passion and provides them with the skills needed to turn those dreams into reality. MPA students certainly feel compelled to do right. By arming students with knowledge and instilling in them the ability to be open-minded and prone to discussion, solutions to obstacles plaguing society do not feel out of reach. The motto “dream big, do right” allows student’s unique thoughts to turn to action.
What book are you currently reading? Would you recommend it?
GL: I am currently reading “Astrophysics for People in a Hurry” by Neil deGrasse Tyson. I love Tyson’s quick wit and conversational style as he explains complex physics. I would recommend it to anyone, science-lover or not!
JP: “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas follows the life of teenager Starr as she works to create a revolution while navigating a world of racism and police brutality. Although I have not yet finished the novel, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to teenagers and adults alike. It is a captivating narrative that challenges the reader to think deeply about his or her personal beliefs.
Purchase your tickets to join us for the fifth annual MPA Talks on Saturday, November 10, 2018. This re-imagined event is designed to bring us together to gain new perspectives and be inspired. The social hour and hors d’oeuvres will begin in the Gallery at 6 PM, followed by the featured speakers’ presentations from 6:30-7:30 PM. Tickets are $20 and include the hors d’oeuvres, dinner, and presentations. Tickets are limited to 50.
